It Starts! Smith Out at Villa

[Super]

36 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Gerrard is an interesting one. I think for his likely intended career trajectory (Rangers -> *Prem Team* -> Liverpool) it makes sense, but to be seen as having done a "good job" there, I wonder whether he'll have expectations on him of making Villa into a Leicester/West Ham. It's an interesting challenge in that respect, but Rodgers and Moyes are vastly more experienced and are probably both in their managerial prime.

I'll watch how he gets on with interest, I think this is a bit of a risk though. 

 

It's certainly a risk for him if he wants the Liverpool job after Klopp. If it goes pear shaped at Villa there won't be a chance he'll get it then.

[BS3_RED]

Stevie G confirmed. 

[Phileas Fogg]

33 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Exactly that. Villa a stepping stone to the Liverpool job. 

Fair play to Lansdown for at least approaching Gerrard's representatives last summer, what an appointment that would've been. 

I think he'll do a good job at Villa. 

Would've been really exciting, and he'd have had no choice but to back him financially which would've been interesting. Was it a flat no from Gerrard's team then? I assume so. 

[CyderInACan]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59238635

Aston Villa have appointed Steven Gerrard as manager on a three-and-a-half year deal, ending his three-year reign at Rangers.

The former Liverpool captain, 41, leaves the Scottish champions having guided them to a first league title in 10 years last season.

Gerrard replaces Dean Smith, who was sacked on Sunday after a run of five successive defeats.

Villa are 16th in the Premier League, two points above the relegation zone.

"Aston Villa is a club with a rich history and tradition in English football and I am immensely proud to become its new head coach," said Gerrard.

"In my conversations with Nassef [Sawiris], Wes [Edens] and the rest of the board, it was apparent how ambitious their plans are for the club and I am looking forward to helping them achieve their aims."

Gerrard took his first steps in senior management with Scottish Premiership side Rangers in 2018, and leaves with them four points clear of rivals Celtic at the top of the table.

He played 710 times for Liverpool, winning nine trophies, and spent a season at MLS side LA Galaxy in 2015 before retiring as a player the following year.

He coached at Liverpool's youth academy before managing the under-18 team during the 2017-18 season.

Gerrard is England's fourth-most capped player with 114 international appearances, in which he scored 21 goals.

 

Much bigger challenge to keep them up than what he did with Glasgow Rangers 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by CyderInACan

[Major Isewater]

37 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

 

I think he'll do a good job at Villa. 

Or not as the very expensive case may be.

It’s one thing to achieve success in a two horse race in Scotland yet another to be up against the many top coaches in the Prem with a squad of players who are not world class.

The thought of having SG here instead of NP, whilst giving us a high profile appointment , seemed too risky to me. ( not like appointing a safe pair of experienced  hands who we could count on. ) 

[Major Isewater]

Half of Glasgow will want to lynch him the other half will ensure he never has to buy a pint in the city ever again.

 

[Robbored]

3 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

The thought of having SG here instead of NP, whilst giving us a high profile appointment , seemed too risky to me. ( not like appointing a safe pair of experienced  hands who we could count on. ) 

Every managerial appointment is a gamble regardless of the guys CV. 

[Baba Yaga]

Think it's a good calculated risk by Gerrard, Rangers were fantastic last season but don't look like equalling their points tally this season or how far they got in Europe. Villa are underachieving in the prem too despite losing Grealish. Premier league is the deep end compared to the SPL but I believe he has picked a good club and will be hard seeing him get a better offer come along anytime soon, especially if his Rangers record looks more average in future.

Shame that Celtic and Rangers have become stepping stones for mid table prem clubs because they are both massive clubs but money talks.

I wonder if Gerrard has enough experience to look any better than the likes of Ole, Lampard, Arteta etc (the good players, average managers club). If a clubs doesn't want to compete with their rivals financially for a couple of seasons then I see these type of appointments being made, will be interesting to see if Villa spend to take them to the next level or not.

Edited November 11, 2021 by Baba Yaga

[CodeRed]

23 minutes ago, BS3_RED said:

Stevie G confirmed. 

Despite late interest from Bristol City Steven Gerard has opted to join Aston Villa. " I'm flattered by the interest shown by City, a tough decision but the lure of the PL just tipped it in Villa's favour"

[Gazred]

Obviously done well with Rangers and seems to be on a decent career path with that move. Totally different test for him now though.

[Redstart]

Job for Lampard now then

[Red Army 75]

Good for him. Done a fantastic job at Rangers 

[054123]

I wonder why he’s considered an upgrade on Dean Smith?

[LoyalRed]

Definitely a risk but a risk worth taking otherwise he is stuck in the Scottish Premiership waiting for the Liverpool job to become vacant.  

[Davefevs]

Damn, he might keep them up

[Phileas Fogg]

37 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Every managerial appointment is a gamble regardless of the guys CV. 

Not trying to be rude, but what's the point of that contribution? Is it just to get your post count up because it doesn't really add any value

[Henry]

48 minutes ago, Baba Yaga said:

Think it's a good calculated risk by Gerrard, Rangers were fantastic last season but don't look like equalling their points tally this season or how far they got in Europe. Villa are underachieving in the prem too despite losing Grealish. Premier league is the deep end compared to the SPL but I believe he has picked a good club and will be hard seeing him get a better offer come along anytime soon, especially if his Rangers record looks more average in future.

Shame that Celtic and Rangers have become stepping stones for mid table prem clubs because they are both massive clubs but money talks.

I wonder if Gerrard has enough experience to look any better than the likes of Ole, Lampard, Arteta etc (the good players, average managers club). If a clubs doesn't want to compete with their rivals financially for a couple of seasons then I see these type of appointments being made, will be interesting to see if Villa spend to take them to the next level or not.

Steven Gerrard has already achieved more as a manager than any of those 3.

[The Coach]

37 minutes ago, 054123 said:

I wonder why he’s considered an upgrade on Dean Smith?

He isn’t in my view. Being built up as a future Liverpool Manager but based on what? At the moment, it would be a huge step down to go from Klopp to Gerrard

Edited November 11, 2021 by Redpool

[Waconda]

34 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Damn, he might keep them up

It is interesting and he is obviously up for a challenge.

Not playing Ross County et al every other week is a massive jump in competition.

We will certainly see in short order how good a coach he is.

 

[Waconda]

6 minutes ago, Henry said:

Steven Gerrard has already achieved more as a manager than any of those 3.

In a "Pub" league to be fair.

[Waconda]

47 minutes ago, Redstart said:

Job for Lampard now then

Oddly, Dean Smith would be a decent choice you would think.

[TonyTonyTony]

2 minutes ago, VT05763 said:

In a "Pub" league to be fair.

Lots of people were saying that about Brendan Rodgers' time at Celtic, and he is doing a very good job at Leicester. 

IMHO Gerrard has the whiff of a very good manager. Focused, demanding of his team and will get respect. I reckon he will do a good job

[Waconda]

1 minute ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Lots of people were saying that about Brendan Rodgers' time at Celtic, and he is doing a very good job at Leicester. 

IMHO Gerrard has the whiff of a very good manager. Focused, demanding of his team and will get respect. I reckon he will do a good job

Brendan Rodgers was already a proven Manager when he went there.

You may well be right and it will certainly be interesting to see how he adapts to the difference in competition.

[Phileas Fogg]

9 minutes ago, Redpool said:

He isn’t in my view. Being built up as a future Liverpool Manager but based on what? At the moment, it would be a huge step down to go from Klopp to Gerrard

Based on being a club legend and Klopp looking to step down in a couple of seasons. Provided he does well at Villa, the stars seem to be aligning there timeline wise. Liverpool are a very nostalgic club, often to their detriment, so it's exactly the sort of move they'd make provided he's not an absolute disaster at Villa. 

[LondonBristolian]

3 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Lots of people were saying that about Brendan Rodgers' time at Celtic, and he is doing a very good job at Leicester. 

IMHO Gerrard has the whiff of a very good manager. Focused, demanding of his team and will get respect. I reckon he will do a good job

I think Gerrard could do well but it is a gamble to replace Smith with him and see it as an upgrade. Rodgers was already an ex-Liverpool manager when he went to Celtic so Leicester were taking less of a gamble.

Ultimately this will be the making or breaking of Gerrard. If he does well, he might well be destined to get the Liverpool job and his crack at the top. If results don't work out, he might well end up in a similar place to Lampard, getting linked to but not getting middling Premier League jobs...

[Merrick's Marvels]

3 minutes ago, Redpool said:

He isn’t in my view. Being built up as a future Liverpool Manager but based on what? At the moment, it would be a huge step down to go from Klopp to Gerrard

A step down, for sure. But that's because there isn't a step up!

If you've got just about the best manager you can hope to get, where do you go from there?

(Steve Lansdown told himself as he watched Lee Johnson lose 9 games in a row)    

[Roger Red Hat]

Cue, Ryan Kent to Villa.

[TonyTonyTony]

2 minutes ago, Roger Red Hat said:

Cue, Ryan Kent to Villa.

Or that Morelos chap. Like the look of him

[Robbored]

1 hour ago, Red Army 75 said:

Good for him. Done a fantastic job at Rangers 

Gerrard will find it a 100 times more difficult in the PL - every game is a real tough encounter, unlike the SPL.

[Taz]

26 minutes ago, Roger Red Hat said:

Cue, Ryan Kent to Villa.

Was going to say, it will be interesting to see if he goes in for him, or anybody else in January.

Personally I think he would be stupid to not go for the higher calibre players, but then does it depend on if he can sign others, or whether he wants to get tried and trusted players playing in his system.